Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
ATCP 10-19 - Animal Health
Chapter ATCP 16 - Dog Sellers And Dog Facility Operators
Section ATCP 16.20 - Dog care; general

Universal Citation: WI Admin Code § ATCP 16.20

Current through February 24, 2025

The following standards of care apply to all dogs kept pursuant to a license under s. ATCP 16.02(1), including any dogs that the license holder consigns to a home custody provider:

(1) FOOD AND WATER.

(a) Each dog shall be fed at least once a day, unless another schedule is needed to maintain or restore the dog's health.

(b) The size and nutritional content of a dog's daily food ration shall be based on dog's age, condition, size, and weight.

(c) Dog food shall be wholesome, uncontaminated, and palatable. Dog food shall be stored in a manner that keeps it wholesome, uncontaminated, and palatable. Food storage containers shall be kept clean and free of contaminants.

(d) All dogs shall have adequate access to water during the course of the day to keep the dogs well-hydrated at all times. Water shall be fluid, potable, and uncontaminated.

(e) Food and water shall be provided under this subsection in durable containers, except that food may be provided in a nondurable container if the container is discarded after a single use.

(f) Water containers, non-disposable food containers and non-disposable utensils shall be cleaned with an appropriate detergent, rinsed, and sanitized with an appropriate sanitizer as often as necessary but at least once a week to keep them free of accumulated dirt, debris, and disease hazards.

(2) ANIMAL HEALTH AND VETERINARY CARE.

(a) Each dog shall be handled as carefully as practicable and in a humane manner that does not cause physical harm or unnecessary injury.

(b) The responsible caretaker on the premises, or an individual implementing a caretaker's oral or written instructions, shall perform daily body, mobility, and behavior checks on each dog.

(c) Any dog that has or is suspected of having a communicable disease shall be kept physically separated from other susceptible animals to prevent the disease from spreading to those animals.

(d) Each dog shall be groomed as necessary to maintain dog health, comfort and welfare, including preventing abnormal matted hair and overgrown nails, and allowing freedom of movement and normal bodily functions.

(e) A licensed veterinarian shall examine each dog as often as necessary to ensure adequate health care. The examining licensed veterinarian shall use appropriate methods to prevent, control, diagnose, and treat diseases and injuries. The license holder shall follow the veterinarian's recommendations.

(f) Sick, diseased or injured dogs shall be provided with timely veterinary care or shall be euthanized by a method described in Appendix 1 to the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition published by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Note: Copies of the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2013 Edition published by the American Veterinary Medical Association are on file with the Department and the Legislative Reference Bureau and may be obtained online at https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Documents/euthanasia.pdf or from the American Veterinary Medical Association at the following address:

American Veterinary Medical Association

1931 N. Meacham Rd

Suite 100

Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360

(g) The department may, by written notice, require a person holding a license under s. ATCP 16.02(1) to submit a dog for examination by a licensed veterinarian within a specified time period if the department finds, based on its inspection, that the dog is exhibiting signs of illness, injury, or neglect.

(3) HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION.

(a) Except as provided in par. (c) and subs. (7), (8) and (9), dogs shall be kept in facilities that comply with ss. ATCP 16.22 and 16.24.

(b) Dogs shall be transported in compliance with s. ATCP 16.26.

(c) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a facility that is used only for the purpose of breeding, raising and selling dogs for scientific research, provided that all of the following apply:
1. The license holder was using that facility solely for that purpose on June 1, 2011, and any primary enclosures added or materially reconstructed since that date comply with ss. ATCP 16.22 and 16.24.

2. The dogs are sold from the facility at which they are bred and raised.

3. The dogs are sold only to animal care facilities licensed or registered by the United States department of agriculture or other countries' equivalent, and are not resold to any other person.

4. The dogs are kept in enclosures that comply with 9 CFR, Chapter I, subchapter A (animal welfare).

(4) EXERCISE. A dog shall be allowed reasonable daily exercise, based on the dog's breed, size, age and health condition. Dogs shall have daily access to an indoor or outdoor run or exercise area where they can achieve a running stride. Repetitive unsupervised physical activity, such as unsupervised placement on a moving treadmill, which prevents a dog from engaging in other activities, shall be avoided except for good cause.

(5) DOG GROUPING AND SEPARATION.

(a) Dogs shall be separated, as necessary, into compatible groups.

(b) Females in season (estrus) may not be kept with sexually intact males in the same primary enclosure, or kept without separation from sexually intact males in any confined area, except for breeding purposes.

(c) Dogs exhibiting potentially harmful aggressive behavior shall be separated from other dogs.

(d) Puppies under 4 months old may not be kept with adult dogs other than their dam or foster dam in the same primary enclosure or other confined area, unless under direct supervision.

(6) BEHAVIOR AND SOCIALIZATION.

(a) All dogs shall have daily, full-body physical contact with other compatible dogs, except where such contact must be avoided for good cause.

(b) All dogs shall have daily positive human contact and socialization, not limited to feeding time.

(c) All dogs shall have safe play objects or other effective forms of inanimate enrichment in their primary enclosures, except where such objects or enrichment must be denied for good cause.

(d) Dogs may not be deprived of contact, activity, or enrichment under this section for extended periods, except for good cause.

(e) A license holder under s. ATCP 16.02(1) shall have a written plan for meeting the requirements under this subsection, and shall instruct employees and agents on the terms of that plan.

(7) WHELPING ENCLOSURES.

(a) General. Outdoor whelping enclosures are prohibited unless a variance is granted from the department.

(b) Whelping enclosure. An indoor primary enclosure for a single whelping dam and her puppies shall comply with all of the following requirements, rather than the requirements under s. ATCP 16.22(2) or (3):
1. The enclosure shall be of an appropriate type for the breed kept in the enclosure.

2. The enclosure shall have a solid floor in that portion of the enclosure that is accessible to the puppies.

3. The enclosure shall be tall enough for the dam to stand normally and comfortably.

4. The enclosure shall be large enough for the dam to lie down in a stretched out position, so that all puppies can simultaneously nurse.

5. The enclosure shall be large enough for the number and temperament of the puppies.

6. The enclosure shall include an area that is accessible only to the dam and is large enough to accommodate the dam. That area may have a non-solid floor that complies with s. ATCP 16.22(1) (b).

(8) NURSERY ENCLOSURE. A primary enclosure for puppies between the age of weaning and the age of 4 months shall comply with the following requirements, rather than the requirements under s. ATCP 16.22(2) or (3) for indoor enclosures and s. ATCP 16.24(2) for outdoor enclosures:

(a) The enclosure shall be large enough to allow all of the puppies to turn around, stand up, lie down, and exercise normal postural movements.

(b) The enclosure shall be large enough to encourage socialization and exercise.

(c) The enclosure shall be indoors unless outdoor temperatures are adequate as to not adversely affect the health of the puppies, there is shade adequate to shade all dogs in the nursery from direct sunlight during any sunlight hours in which heat stress may occur, and there is no inclement weather.

(9) TEMPORARY ENCLOSURE FOR ONE DOG.

(a) A dog may be kept for up to 12 hours a day in a temporary enclosure that does not meet the standards for a primary enclosure under ss. ATCP 16.22 and 16.24 if all of the following apply:
1. Only one dog is kept in the temporary enclosure at any time.

2. The temporary enclosure is long enough to accommodate the entire length of dog's head and body, measured from the tip of the dog's nose to the base of the dog's tail.

3. The temporary enclosure is tall enough for the dog to stand normally and comfortably, and large enough for the dog to turn around and lie down.

(b) A temporary dog enclosure shall be kept indoors unless outdoor temperatures are adequate so as to not adversely affect the health of the dog, there is shade to protect the dog from direct sunlight during any sunlight hours in which heat stress may occur, and there is no inclement weather.

(10) RUNS AND EXERCISE AREAS. A run or exercise area shall meet all of the following requirements:

(a) It shall be large enough for the dog's size and temperament, considering the number of dogs that may use the run or exercise area at the same time, and shall be large enough for the dog to achieve a running stride.

(b) If outdoors, it shall include a shaded area that is large enough, during all hours in which the run or exercise area is used, to shade all dogs using the run or exercise area without crowding.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Wisconsin may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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